Features

PRIME MINISTER OPENS YOUTH ZONE

PUBLISHED

09:50 13th August 2013

by Community Trust

Prime Minister David Cameron visited the Wigan Youth Zone last week to officially open the centre.

Describing it as one his ‘proudest days as Prime Minister’, Mr Cameron was shown around the state of the art youth centre by Wigan Athletic Club Chairman, Dave Whelan. Also shown around the facility was Premier League Chairman Anthony Fry.

The Youth Zone is the brain child of Mr Whelan and fellow Wigan businessmen Martin and Bill Ainscough.

Addressing a crowd of young people, supporters and volunteers Mr Cameron said: "To be here to actually see this facility open gives me a tremendous amount of pride. It is a great day for Wigan who can now say they have the biggest youth club in the country."

The centre opened in June and already has 6,000 members between the ages of 8 – 19 who can enjoy the facility for just £5 membership a year and 50p entry per visit.

Among the facilities the young people can enjoy are four outdoor football pitches which were funded by the Premier League Community Facility Fund.

Richard Scudamore, Premier League Chief Executive, said: "Wigan Athletic has a fantastic reputation for community development delivery and now the club is set to become an even more important hub thanks to the Wigan Youth Zone.

“That is what Premier League Community Facility Fund is all about, providing sports facilities that reinvigorate communities."

Wigan Athletic Community Trust, supported by funding from the Premier League and the PFA, runs a range of weekly football sessions at the Youth Zone.

For more information about these activities please contact Ian Gaskell at ian.gaskell@wiganathleticct.com or call 01942 488 530.

For general information about the Wigan Youth Zone please go to www.wiganyouthzone.org or call 01942 612061.